CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 173: LOVE-STRUCK JIANG HU

Pine mushrooms are a very common type of mushroom, delicious and plentiful. Just this area can yield quite a lot, though once they’re dried, they might not even weigh a pound.

By the time Second Aunt dragged Iron Egg over and finally caught up, the pine mushrooms had piled up high beside Xiaomi and the others.

"Why are there so many?" Second Aunt stood with Iron Egg at a higher spot, figuring it was almost done anyway, she was too lazy to go down again.

Jiang Hu waved at Qixi to bring the basket over.

"I used to often pick mushrooms here. Since the kids wanted to play, I specially brought them along."

The dried mushrooms at home were almost all picked by Jiang Hu. He knew where on the mountain there were mushrooms, and where there were lots of hares and wild chickens.

Second Aunt shook her head, having realized that Jiang Hu brought the kids out today specifically to have fun.

"Dad, I want to go down too," said Iron Egg, stretching his arms out, indicating he wanted Daddy to carry him.

"Alright!" Jiang Hu scooped up Iron Egg, and as he set him down on the ground, he playfully patted Iron Egg’s bottom. "You’re much more obedient than your sister."

Xiaomi overheard this, pouted, and ignored him.

Second Aunt noticed it too and asked with a smile, "What’s wrong?"

Jiang Hu quickly explained, "Luckily I caught you, falling from such a height would have hurt a lot."

Second Aunt felt Jiang Hu’s reprimand was justified, "Xiaomi, you shouldn’t do that again."

Xiaomi nodded repeatedly, indicating she wouldn’t do it again.

A large batch of pine mushrooms was packed into the basket, yet it wasn’t heavy, so Qixi easily carried it.

Having picked mushrooms, the next activity was hunting.

Jiang Hu led everyone forward for a bit until they reached a riverbank, which was upstream of Fu’an Village and just a mountain away from the Jiang family’s thatched cottage.

"I brought fishing hooks and lines. How about you all try fishing today?"

Jiang Hu tossed out a few bamboo poles that he’d cut along the way, and then took out the fishing hooks and lines he had prepared earlier from his chest.

"I want to fish!" Xiaomi expressed eagerly first.

Jiang Hu: "Don’t rush, there’s enough for everyone."

There were four bamboo poles in total. Jiang Hu quickly made four fishing rods, bending the fishing hooks from embroidery needles he heated and bent himself.

Qixi even took out a bamboo tube filled with various sizes of worms.

"Uncle Qixi, when did you prepare the worms?" Xiaomi was curious, as they hadn’t known about it.

"When I was digging holes to plant the bamboo, your dad asked me to collect them, saying he wanted to surprise you, so I didn’t tell you."

Qixi was also helping, pinching a piece of worm, threading it onto the hook, and casting the fishing rod with a flick.

"Young lady Xiaomi, young lady Xiaoxue, who’s going to watch this one?" Both were too young to cast the fishing rod by themselves.

Nearby, Jiang Hu was also helping Second Aunt, with Iron Egg curiously following behind his mom, wanting to try but unable to hold the fishing rod steadily.

Liu Ze had already started fishing, with Qixi having threaded the hook for him. But he mimicked Jiang Hu’s actions and had already found a good spot.

Upon hearing Qixi’s words, Liu Ze promptly said, "Young lady Xiaoxue, why don’t you use mine, and I’ll take the remaining one."

Originally, Qixi thought Xiaoxue and Xiaomi would fish together while he played with the last fishing rod himself: "..."

"Sure," Xiaoxue hopped over, "Brother Ze, why don’t we fish together? I don’t know how anyway."

Liu Ze: "Perfect, I don’t know how either, I’ve only read about it."

Qixi was instantly delighted, handing the fishing rod in his hand to Xiaomi, and pointed at the water explaining to Xiaomi.

"Young lady Xiaomi, you see that leaf floating on the water? If it sinks, it means a fish is on the hook. At that moment, just pull it up."

Beside them, Jiang Hu explained it clearly to Second Aunt too. She held a fishing rod in one hand and guided Iron Egg to another spot, sitting on a large stone near Xiaomi.

"Qixi, you go play yourself too. I can watch the two kids on my own."

"Alright." Qixi joyously went to play with his fishing rod.

Jiang Hu took a machete and wrapped some worms in leaves, preparing to see if he could catch a couple of wild chickens.

It had just passed noon, the hottest time of the day, but in front of them was cool, flowing river water, and behind them a vast dense forest.

Occasional cool breezes blew along the river, refreshing everyone’s spirits immensely.

It was a small dam area with many large boulders, the water ahead was a bit deep, but as long as you didn’t get too close, it was quite safe.

Second Aunt watched the children, as fishing was secondary; the main concern was the river water.

Today clearly was Liu Ze’s lucky day. Shortly after Jiang Hu left, his float bobbed, revealing a palm-sized crucian carp.

For a first catch, it was a good start. Qixi happily turned over a stone on the ground, creating a small water pool, then placed the crucian carp inside.

Jiang Hu hadn’t gone far, just setting up traps nearby, and quickly caught two wild chickens.

While waiting for the chickens to fall into the traps, he could hear cheers from the riverbank, indicating a good catch.

Carrying the two wild chickens, Jiang Hu figured it was enough.

Returning to the riverbank, he collected a few clean large leaves, watching his family happily fishing as he cleaned and seasoned the wild chickens.

Though it was still early, the wild chickens had a strong flavor, so marinating them early meant they’d have less of a gamey taste when roasted later.

"Brother Hu, come try it, fishing is really fun,"

Second Aunt called out to him from not far away, her vibrant smile and bright face lacking any trace of life’s burdens, only a joy-filled mood.

On regular days, Second Aunt was gentle and warm, her smile like a refreshing spring breeze, calming those around her, rarely showing such a radiant smile.

When Jiang Hu looked up, his heart trembled, as if that brilliant smile had directly struck his heart.

"Brother Hu? What’s wrong? Why are you standing there daydreaming?"

Noticing he wasn’t moving, Second Aunt waved again, urging him to come over.

Jiang Hu snapped back to reality, returning her smile, "Coming."

Thinking back, when he and Second Aunt got married, he was only sixteen, and she was fifteen; Jiang Yu was born two years after they married.

Counting back, Second Aunt was actually only twenty-five this year.

Jiang Hu genuinely felt that at twenty-five, Second Aunt looked even younger and more beautiful than when they first got married.

"Daddy, stop just looking at Mom, fish, the fish is on the hook! Quick!"

Iron Egg was anxiously eager, thinking his dad always looked at Mom, couldn’t he have enough already!

Jiang Hu’s thoughts were interrupted, slightly embarrassed, while Second Aunt blushed and tapped Iron Egg on the head.

"You’re the one talking the most all day."

As for Xiaomi? Haha, upon seeing her dad approaching with a lovestruck face, she had already gone to play with Uncle Qixi.

Being showered with affection every day? Xiaomi had long since expected it!